1. Background--Field of Invention
This invention relates to golf putting training aids, specifically to devices that are used to help a golfer learn how to position his or her eyes vertically above the golf ball and the target line and to perform a proper and consistent putting stroke.
2. Background--Description of Prior Art
A number of different devices have been invented over the years to assist a golfer in learning how to address the golf ball and perform the putting stroke properly. One of the most important deficiencies in all of these prior inventions, is that they each focused on only a few of the aspects of the putting stroke. This is a major flaw, because for a golfer to be able to learn how to perform an accurate and consistent putting stroke, the golfer needs to be able to take all of the putting aspects into account at the same time.
The golfer first has to learn how to envision where the target line will be, from the golf ball to the cup. The golfer must then learn how to properly address the target line and the golf ball. Once the target line and the golf ball are properly addressed, the golfer must learn how to place his or her eyes vertically overtop of the golf ball and the desired target line. The golfer must then learn how to swing the putter such that the putter head travels exactly along the target line and such that the face of the putter is always kept exactly square to the longitudinal direction of the target line and square to the direction of travel. Once all of these individual steps are learned, the golfer must then learn how to combine them all together, to complete the golf putting stroke. Only then will the golfer learn how to stroke the golf ball properly and consistently, so that the ball travels along the desired target line.
None of the golf putting training aids that have been invented in the past, assist the golfer in learning how to improve all of the above techniques at the same time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,711 to Hansburg (1971), shows a device that can be used to establish the target line from the golf ball to the cup, but there is no way for the golfer using this device to accurately position his or her head vertically overtop of the target line and the golf ball. If the golfer's eyes are not positioned exactly overtop of the target line and the golf ball, there will be a tendency to stroke the ball in a direction other than the desired target line. This is because the golfer will imagine a target line that is different from the proper one.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), provides a teaching aid that helps the golfer learn how to strike the golf ball properly when performing the putting stroke. However, as with Hansburg above, there is no means to assist the golfer in first positioning his or her eyes directly overtop of the target line and the golf ball. The golfer would therefore be improperly learning how to stroke the ball because the correct form and positioning has not been taken into account.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976), 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978), 4,315,626 to Hamm (1982), and 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), all provide means to learn how to perform the putting stroke, but none of these devices help the golfer in learning how to address the proper target line and the golf ball, prior to stroking the golf ball.
The second most important deficiency in all of the prior inventions is that when the devices are used, they all interfere with the golfer's actual putting stroke. Therefore, the teaching aid itself, inhibits the golfer's ability to learn how to improve his or her putting stroke. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,711 to Hansburg (1971), the golfer extends a cord or tape on top of the putting surface and along the target line towards the golf cup. This setup will actually interfere with the roll of the golf ball and cause it to deflect away from its path. This means the golfer would not be able to receive positive feedback as to whether the ball was struck properly in the first place. It is also evident that the cord or tape will interfere with the stroke of the putter. This is because the putter would be travelling overtop of two different surfaces: the grassy surface of the green, and the artificial surface of the cord or tape. This could cause the golfer to learn a different stroke as compared to when the tape or cord is removed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976), 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978), 4,315,626 to Hamm (1982), and 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), all involve mechanical frames or apparatuses that interfere and restrict the movement of the putter head. This is detrimental because it does not allow the golfer to naturally develop his or her putting stroke. It is comparable to the use of a crutch; a person can learn how to walk with a crutch, but as soon as the crutch is removed, the person must again learn how to walk, this time without the crutch.
Some of the prior mechanical frames or apparatuses, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976), and 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), result in severe limitations to the movement of the putter. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978) and 4,315,626 to Hamm (1982), are perhaps not as restricting, but they still result in distracting the golfer from learning how to perform the putting stroke. This is because it is difficult to practice the putting stroke without constantly having the eyes focus on the mechanical apparatus.
A third deficiency with most of the prior putting-aid inventions, is that they involve complicated and cumbersome designs. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976), 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978), and 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), show mechanical apparatuses that are difficult to transport and store in the golfer's golf bag. U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974) in particular, is an example of an apparatus that is not very portable. It involves a special golf club that has an opening through its shaft, and a pair of rods and other mechanical members, all of which would have to be transported with the golfer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), is an example of a putting aid that is overly complicated. It contains a number of clips and locating beads that are moved in different ways when setting up the assembly.
A fourth deficiency of all of the prior golf putting aids, is that none of them permit the incorporation of instructor feedback. That is, when using the prior inventions, an instructor who may be assisting the golfer, is not able to determine whether the golfer is performing all of the golf putting steps correctly. For example, if a golfer was using any one of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,604,711 to Hansburg (1971), 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976), 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978), 4,315,626 to Hamm (1982), or 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), the instructor would not be able to determine whether the golfer has placed his or her eyes exactly overtop of the target line.
The last deficiency and probably the most important in regard to prior golf putting aids, is that many of them do not actually help the golfer to achieve proficiency in the particular area that is intended by the invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,711 to Hansburg (1971), is intended to help the golfer strike a golf ball such that the golf ball travels down the exact target line from the golf ball to the cup. The first problem with this invention however, is that there is no way for the golfer to accurately determine whether his or her eyes are exactly vertically overtop of the target line and the golf ball. In fact, when standing square to the target line, the golfer's eyes could actually be a distance forward or backwards from the target line, in relation to the direction that the golfer is facing. If the golfer's eyes are not exactly overtop of the target line, it will cause the golfer to imagine a target line that is different from the one that is actually desired.
The second problem with U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,711 to Hansburg (1971), is that it does not help the golfer to learn how to strike the ball correctly, so that the ball travels along the target line. This is because the cord or tape that is extended on top of the putting surface and along the target line, actually interferes with the roll of the ball. The tape or cord cause the ball to go off target and the golfer is therefore not able to get positive feedback on whether the putting stroke was performed properly in the first place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,133 to Cork (1974), shows an apparatus that can be used to learn how to stroke the golf ball properly. But in fact, this design could actually teach the golfer to have an improper putting stroke because there is no consideration given to first positioning the golfer's eyes properly. The golfer's eyes must first be positioned such that they are vertically above the target line and the golf ball before attempting to perform the putting stroke.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,570 to Gutierrez et al (1974), 4,315,626 to Hamm (1982), and 5,209,484 to Randall (1993), all provide an elongated member such as a cord or a metal bar, that is positioned above the putting surface and pointed in the direction of the target line. The intent is that the cord or metal bar is to be used to help the golfer learn how to position his or her eyes vertically overtop of the golf ball. The problem with this type of design is similar to that mentioned above for the Hansburg invention. Even though the elongated member is above the golf ball, there is no way to accurately determine whether the golfer's eyes are exactly vertically overtop of the target line and the golf ball. As stated above, when the golfer is standing square to the target line, the golfer's eyes could actually be a distance forward or backwards from the target line, in relation to the direction that the golfer is facing. The golfer's eyes must be positioned exactly overtop of the target line and the golf ball, for the golfer to be able to envision the correct line of travel of the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,934,874 to Henderson (1976) and 4,082,287 to Berkey (1978), both provide designs that do assist a golfer in learning to position his or her eyes vertically overtop of a golf ball that is placed within the mechanical device. However, there is no way for the golfer to first determine whether the training apparatus is on a horizontal putting surface. If these inventions are not first placed on a horizontal putting surface, they will not work properly to help the golfer position his or her eyes vertically overtop of the golf ball. Consequently, the result will be the same as in the Hansburg, Gutierrez, Hamm, and Randall inventions. The golfer will envision the wrong target line and will perform an incorrect putting stroke.